The holiday season: friends, family, food, and more holiday parties than you can count — what’s not to love? While the holiday season is full of fun and cheeriness for most, it can also cause a lot of unexpected mess — and this time we’re not talking about the mess Aunt Marge causes when she has one too many glasses of eggnog. We’re talking about the mess of salt and snow being tracked into your home anytime you have guests over during the holidays. No matter how careful and caring your guests are, they tend to eventually track snow and salt all over your home by the time the holidays are over. Luckily, we’re pros at keeping your home clean while visiting it to consult with you about your window and door replacements (see our stylish blue booties). We’re sharing all our best tips for keeping your entrance and home snow and salt free this holiday season.
1. Shoe Trays
Shoe trays might not always be the prettiest or most aesthetically pleasing answer to your snow and salt problem but they can be extremely affective. Simply have your guests put their shoes in the tray when they come in; this will keep the snow and salt from straying any further than your entryway.
2. Rugs, rugs, and more rugs
This might seem like an obvious answer but typically most homeowners will buy a rug, set it up, and let it go, hoping for the best. We recommend multiple rugs. Preferably at the least, three. One outside of your home, one right on the inside of your door, and the other on the cusp of your entryway and living room or whatever room your entryway leads into.
3. Offer Guests Slippers
This might not be ideal depending on how large your holiday parties are, but if you’re only having a few guests over this can be a great solution! It gives people a reason to take their shoes off right away, making sure you contain the snow and salt to your entry door!
4. Get a Shoe Rack
This will keep guests from leaving their shoes to melt on your carpet or in other undesirable locations. Level this up by adding a shoe tray underneath to catch all the drippings.
5. Add a Salt Residue Remover to your Floor Cleaner
While these tips are great, chances are, they still won’t be a foolproof plan, especially against tiny shoes that are snow magnets (because it’s a rule that all 5-year-olds must jump in ALL slush ponds and snow piles). The best thing you can do for your carpets and floors is to add a salt residue remover to your usual floor cleaner.
6. Upgrade your Entryway
A door that leaks cold air, won’t shut correctly, or gets stuck is going to either have your guests rushing to get inside or distracted, meaning they’ll be much less likely to pay attention to what they’re dragging in with him. Replacing your entry door and entry door system can put a stop to this problem and solve energy efficiency issues as well!
7. Organize your Entryway More Efficiently
If you shoe tray or rack is the furthest thing from the door, chances are much higher that guests are going to track in snow. Reorganizing your entryway in a manner that encourages guests to remove their shoes as soon as possible will be your best shot at fighting the salt and snow.
8. Have a Spot for Coats Right by the Door
This is a similar idea to putting your shoe rack close to the door. People either take off their coats or shoes first, so having both by the door doubles your chances of not having guests track snow or salt into the home.
9. Make Your Melt Zone Known
Implementing a few of these tips will greatly reduce the amount of snow and salt dragged into your home, however, specifically making it known where guests should leave their shoes and coats will also make for a great improvement as well. We recommend using cute décor or a framed request and keeping it easily visible.